MOM says oil giant breached its duties in ensuring workplace safety
Jalelah Abu Baker Straits Times 4 Sep 12;
THE Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has filed a charge against Shell for alleged lapses in workplace safety that led to a 32-hour- long fire last September.
The ministry did so under the Workplace Safety and Health Act last Friday after completing investigations into the Sept 28 blaze at the oil giant's Pulau Bukom refinery.
In a news release yesterday, MOM said the fire was caused by the maintenance works of a pipeline that began a day before the accident.
In de-oiling the pipeline, the contractors, Mun Siong Engineering and Weishen Industrial Services, had used an "open draining" method that allowed flammable gases to accumulate in the air.
The pipeline was connected to a tank of naphtha, a volatile chemical liquid, and passed through a pumphouse where petroleum products were mixed.
While the pipeline was being drained, the contractors used metal trays to collect the naphtha flowing out of the tank.
MOM said the release of naphtha in this manner not only allowed volatile vapours to escape, but also led to an accumulation of static charges, which might have produced a spark to ignite the naphtha vapours.
The ministry said that "by failing to ensure the safety of its processes", and the site itself, Shell had breached its duties under the Workplace Safety and Health Act and would be charged.
Moreover, MOM said that Shell had failed to deploy portable gas monitors that would have alerted workers and safety staff to the presence of dangerous levels of flammable vapours.
The case is expected to be heard in the Subordinate Courts later this month, on Sept 25.
Under the Act, first-time offenders may be fined up to $500,000.
Responding to the MOM statement, a Shell spokesman said: "Safety is a top priority for Shell. We regret this incident and are applying the learnings to avoid such an occurrence in the future."
The Sept 28 fire broke out in the pumproom at about 1.15pm.
It spread quickly and resulted in multiple explosions around the site, MOM said.
No one died in the blaze, but the pumphouse was badly damaged.
Shell also had to temporarily shut down the refinery that produced half a million barrels every day - its largest in the world.
It resumed full operations in February this year.
MOM files charge against Shell over Pulau Bukom fire
Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 3 Sep 12;
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower has filed a charge against Shell Eastern Petroleum for safety lapses that caused a fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom oil refinery last September.
At about 1.15 pm on 28 September, a fire broke out at a pump house at Shell's oil refinery.
The fire spread rapidly with multiple explosions.
The Ministry of Manpower's investigations revealed that Shell was conducting maintenance works on a pipeline to remove petroleum products.
The pipeline originated from a Naphtha tank and passed through a pump house, where petroleum products were mixed and blended.
Shell had used an "open draining" method that allowed flammable gases to be released into the air.
The flow of Naphtha, a petroleum product, into a plastic tray could have accumulated static charges, which could produce sparks that ignite the flammable gases.
Shell also did not deploy portable gas monitors, which would have alerted staff to dangerous levels of flammable gases.
The fire was fully extinguished on 29 September 2011 after 32 hours of fire-fighting.
There were no serious injuries although the pump house was badly damaged and the Bukom refinery had to be temporarily shut down.
But for failing to ensure the safety of its processes and the premises itself, Shell could be fined up to $500,000 if convicted under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
The case will be heard in the Subordinate Courts on 25 September.
- CNA/de
Shell charged for 'safety lapses' in Pulau Bukom fire
Today Online 4 Sep 12;
SINGAPORE - Shell Eastern Petroleum has been charged under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for "safety lapses" following the oil refinery fire on Pulau Bukom in September last year, which took firefighters 32 hours to put out.
Under the Act, Shell had a duty to ensure that the refinery and all machinery, equipment, plants or substances at the refinery was safe and posed no risks to people on the premises, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
On Sept 27 last year, Shell began maintenance on a pipeline that originated from a naphtha tank and passing through a pumphouse, where petroleum products were mixed and blended.
A day later, a fire broke out at the pumphouse and the fire escalated, with multiple explosions.
According to MOM investigations, Shell had allowed an open draining method to be used during the de-oiling of a pipeline.
This method utilised trays to collect the naphtha - a number of flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons - which allowed flammable vapours to be released into the air.
The accumulation of such vapours created "a flammable atmosphere" that would easily be ignited by any ignition source, said the MOM.
In addition, the flow of naphtha into the plastic tray could have resulted in the accumulation of static charges, which could produce a spark upon contact with a good conductor of static charges. "This spark would be able to ignite the flammable naphtha vapours in the air," said the MOM.
It added that Shell had also failed to deploy portable gas monitors that would have allowed measurements to be taken within the proximity of the open draining, and would have alerted workers and safety staff to dangerous levels of flammable vapours.
Under the Act, Shell could be fined up to S$500,000 for a first conviction. The case will be heard again on Sept 25.
